County resource guide
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Local providers, school contacts, and support services for autism families in Dauphin County. Pennsylvania statewide resources also apply.
Local providers
7 listedDiagnostic clinics
Formal autism evaluations by developmental pediatricians, psychologists, or neuropsychologists.
Hershey
Penn State Health — Pediatric Developmental Behavioral Services
Penn State Health's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, located in Dauphin County, is a major academic medical center offering comprehensive autism evaluations. As the state capital region's premier children's hospital affiliate, it serves families from Harrisburg and central Pennsylvania.
Penn State Hershey is the dominant academic medical center for central PA. Expect waitlists — ask about community referrals.
Early Intervention (0–3)
Free services for children under 3 under IDEA Part C.
Harrisburg
Dauphin County Early Intervention Program
Dauphin County's Early Intervention services for children birth to age 3. Provides developmental evaluations and therapy at no cost for eligible children under Pennsylvania's Early Intervention system. Administered through the Dauphin County MH/ID office.
FREE through Pennsylvania Early Intervention. Your pediatrician can refer, or contact Dauphin County directly.
ABA therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy — typically requires insurance authorization.
Harrisburg · multi-county
Centria Autism — Harrisburg
In-home and center-based ABA therapy serving Dauphin County and the greater Harrisburg area. BCBA-supervised services accepting commercial insurance under Pennsylvania's ABA insurance mandate and Medicaid. Covers city and suburban Harrisburg families.
Pennsylvania requires commercial insurance to cover ABA therapy.
Parent & family support
Parent groups, sibling programs, and family peer support.
Harrisburg · multi-county
Autism Society of Greater Harrisburg
Active Autism Society chapter serving Dauphin and Cumberland counties. Provides monthly support groups for parents, social events for autistic individuals, and resource navigation for families in the Harrisburg metro area.
Advocacy & legal
Legal advocates, special education advocates, and disability rights organizations.
Pittsburgh · multi-county
PEAL Center — Dauphin County / Harrisburg Area
Pennsylvania's federally funded PTI serving Dauphin County families at no cost. As the state capital, Harrisburg is home to many state education agency decisions — PEAL is especially valuable here for navigating Pennsylvania Department of Education policies and Harrisburg City School District disputes.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Pennsylvania families. Particularly useful for PDE-level advocacy.
Pittsburgh · multi-county
PEAL Center — Lancaster County Families
Pennsylvania's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center serves Lancaster County families at no cost. Provides IEP advocacy, training on IDEA rights, and one-on-one support for navigating school district disputes. Particularly helpful for rural families far from major urban advocacy organizations.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Pennsylvania families statewide.
Pittsburgh · multi-county
PEAL Center — York County Families
Pennsylvania's federally funded PTI serving York County at no cost. Provides IEP advocacy training, school district navigation, and one-on-one support. Invaluable for families in rural parts of York County where local advocacy resources are sparse.
FREE. Federally funded PTI serving all Pennsylvania families.
For providers
Be the first featured provider in Dauphin County
Featured listings include your logo, extended description, a direct contact button, and top placement above standard listings. Families searching for help in Dauphin County see you first.
Missing a provider? Submit a listing — it's free →
See all Pennsylvania resources
Waivers, PTI centers, and state programs apply to all families in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania state guide →